Batting

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Senior designated hitter Clay Cederquist and freshman second baseman Brandon Hunley each hit a three-run home run and each had four hits in the contest to lead the Hornets to an 11-6 win over Chicago State.

Hitting in the No. 7 and 8 spots, respectively, Cederquist and Hunley each had the first four-hit game of their careers. Cederquist had four RBIs and three runs scored while Hunley had three RBIs and scored twice. Juniors Kyle Moses, Rhys Hoskins, and Scotty Burcham each had two hits for the Hornets as all nine starters recorded hits and the team totaled 18 hits for the contest.

The win was the 30th of the season for Sacramento State (30-18, 16-4 WAC), giving the program three straight 30-win seasons for the first time since 1993. Saturday's loss was the 30th of the year for Chicago State (14-30, 3-14 WAC), which has allowed eight unearned runs off six errors through the first two games of the series.

Freshman starter Sam Long was tagged with a career-high six earned runs off eight hits and two walks over 6.1 innings pitched. Junior Alex Palsha allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh inning but did not allow an earned run himself over 1.2 innings to pick up the win.

The Hornets trailed 3-1 after the Cougars scored twice in the top of the fourth, but Hoskins and Burcham opened the bottom of the inning with singles before Cederquist launched a 3-run shot to right for his second home run of the season.

Still leading 4-3 in the sixth, the Hornets had Cederquist at third and Hunley at second with two away when a groundball off the bat of Moses went through the legs of Chicago State third baseman Chase Matheson into left field to extend the Sacramento State lead to 6-3.

With one out in the top of the seventh the Cougars reached on three straight hits to score a run and chase Long. Two more runs would score on a wild pitch and an RBI groundout to bring the score even at 6-6.

Sacramento State quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Hoskins led off with a double, Burcham walked, and Hoskins was driven home on a Cederquist single. Hunley then cleared the bases with his sixth home run of the season on a no-doubter to left field. Senior David Del Grande would drive in a fifth run of the inning after a Cougar error to give the home team a five-run cushion.

The sixth homer for Hunley moved him into sole possession of second place in the WAC in home runs, trailing only the eight long balls hit this season by Hoskins. Four Cougars had multi-hit games as the team totaled 10 hits after being held scoreless on just three hits on Friday. Starter Eric Hall took the loss for Chicago State allowing eight runs (five earned) on 13 hits and one walk over 6.1 innings.

For the first time this season the Hornet offense did not have a single strikeout in the game. Long recorded the only strikeout of the afternoon, as the Cougars only went down on strikes once themselves.

Sacramento State goes for its fourth WAC series sweep of the season on Sunday. Redshirt freshman Justin Dillon is slated to face Chicago State junior Ean McNeal with first pitch at 1 p.m.